Hunt Showdown’s massive upcoming upgrade finally gets launch date

There have been whispers rustling in the underbrush about when the Hunt: Showdown relaunch will finally make its appearance. Originally rumored for an early 2024 release, eager bounty hunters have been patiently waiting for the promised engine upgrade and associated updates. Finally, news has emerged from the swamp, with a launch date and more details about what we can expect.

The biggest update incoming for Hunt: Showdown is the engine upgrade. The multiplayer FPS game will move to CRYENGINE version 5.11, with a raft of other changes that should improve the game’s performance. In addition, the UI is going to be overhauled with multiple UX improvements planned. For players worried about any potential loss of progress, developer Crytek is quick to assure the community that everything will transfer over to this relaunched version of the game.

The final aspect of this announcement covers console support, with the upcoming relaunch heralding the end of PS4 and Xbox One consoles. That said, current-generation consoles will also benefit from the performance boost.

Every week until the launch of this upgrade, Crytek will be hosting developer updates that will unveil more about what’s planned for the game. In addition, the team will be addressing player feedback and concerns in the runup to release. Here’s what to expect over the coming weeks:

• Community surveys and player data and what Crytek has learned from them.
• New UI/UX details and sneak peeks.
• What the engine upgrade will mean for players.
• Steps Crytek is taking to combat cheating, exploits, and toxic players.
• The evolution of progression and prestige systems.
• Digging into Crytek’s vision for the game’s design.

Though player numbers are definitely down for Hunt: Showdown on Steam, it still regularly pulls in 17,000 players at the same time daily, which admittedly is down from the heady days of 45,000 players nearly a year ago. Despite being a few years old, Hunt: Showdown remains one of the most intriguing and original multiplayer FPS games out there, with a tense approach to combat amplified by its grim, brutal setting.

The Hunt: Showdown upgrade will launch on all supported platforms on Thursday, August 15. If you’d like to know more, head over to the Steam page to check it out.

In the meantime, why not check out our guide to the best multiplayer games you can play, or take a look at our list of the best horror games out there.